PARIS (AP) — Venezuela’s powerlifting champion didn’t know when her hands would stop trembling after setting a Games record at the Paris Paralympics on Thursday.
“I’m out of words, I’m emotional,” Clara Sarahy Fuentes Monasterio said after bench-pressing 124 kilograms for the gold medal in the women's 50kg class.
It’s been a wild three years for the Paralympian since she lifted 97 for the 41kg bronze medal in Tokyo. Her body changed after giving birth to her son Liam last year.
“I feel much stronger now,” said Fuentes Monasterio, who credited her child as “my motivation.”
Fuentes Monasterio, who uses a wheelchair, said her muscle mass increased “a lot” after giving birth. She didn’t expect it would lead to a Paralympics record.
“My hands are still trembling. I don’t know when they will stop,” the 27-year-old lifter said after being feted by the small but raucous crowd at La Chapelle Arena.
The noisy spectators didn’t mind that Fuentes Monasterio didn’t attempt an even heavier load. Powerlifters have only three attempts. She failed her first at 120, but got it on her second try and immediately led the nine-woman competition.
Every contender, with help from their coach, removes the bar from the racks and, at the referee’s command, lowers it to their chest before pushing it upward until their arms are fully extended with their elbows locked. This is subject to any medical condition.
Contenders can have a variety of impairments including orthopedic disability, cerebral palsy, neurological disability, or paraplegia and tetraplegia. There are 10 weight categories for women and men.
Blasts of dramatic music build up every lift. There’s silence in the arena for the attempt, then, depending on the judges' result, party beats or more subdued tunes.
China’s Xiao Jinping took the silver medal after her first lift of 119, and Britain’s Olivia Broome beamed after lifting 119 in the third round for the bronze. It was her second consecutive bronze in the category.
“It’s extra special because I’ve got all my family here,” Broome said. “They didn’t get to see this in Tokyo, so I wanted to show them a medal.”
Xiao wasn’t as happy with her medal in her first Paralympics.
“I wanted the gold,” she said.
Nigeria’s Bose Bejide successfully lifted 100, then jumped an extra 18 kilos in the third round to try and overtake Broome for the bronze. It was too much.
In any case, Broome, who lifted 114 in the second round, made sure of another podium finish by lifting an extra five kilos in the third.
“I did 12 kilograms more than (in) Tokyo, so it’s huge,” the British Paralympian said.
Loida Zabala Ollero of Spain, who finished last, cried tears of joy after lifting 75 in the third round.
In men’s competition, Mohamed Elmenyawy of Egypt won the 59kg class by posting 201 in the third round. China’s Qi Yongkai won silver with 200 and Iran’s Mohsen Bakhtiar claimed bronze with 197.
Bakhtiar is already looking ahead to the next Paralympics in 2028.
“I want to go to Los Angeles and change the color of this medal,” the Iranian said.
Later Thursday were the women's 55kg and men's 65kg finals.
AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
FILE -Venezuela's Clara Sarahy Fuentes Monasterio prepares to lift during women's 41kg powerlifting final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. Venezuela’s Clara Sarahy Fuentes Monasterio is the para powerlifting champion among women up to 50 kilograms after setting a record at the Paralympic Games on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File)
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) — For many Haitian immigrants, Sunday mornings in Springfield, Ohio, are spent joyfully worshipping God as they sing and pray in their native Creole. This Sunday, they needed that uplifting balm more than ever.
Their community is reeling — confused, frustrated, hurt — from false accusations that they are eating their neighbor’s cats and dogs. The now viral and highly politicized rumors are being fueled by former President Donald Trump, his running mate JD Vance and others, and violent threats against the community are upending daily life in their city.
“Jesus is with us in truth, and the truth is that Haitians are not eating pets and geese in Springfield,” said the Rev. Carl Ruby, preaching at Central Christian Church. He invited community members to join his congregation in prayer and peaceful protest of the false rumors leveled against their Haitian neighbors.
They also demanded an apology.
“It is truth that a retraction of these rumors will help to restore peace in Springfield," Ruby said. “We respectfully call on all politicians and media figures who are promoting this rumor to help make Springfield great and safe again by speaking the truth about our community.”
Viles Dorsainvil, the leader of Haitian Community Help and Support Center in Springfield, accepted Ruby's invitation to worship together at Central Christian, and was grateful to be relying on his faith.
“It’s important to be here because we’re Christian — despite everything, we worship in good times and bad times,” he said. “I’m relieved that I’m in the presence of God. It’s therapeutic.”
And he had a message for Trump and Vance: “If they have the heart of God, they will think differently and speak differently.”
The rumors, spread on social media and by Trump during Tuesday’s televised presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, have exacerbated fears about division and anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of the election in the mostly white, blue-collar city of about 59,000 where more than 15,000 Haitians now live and work.
Thousands of temporary Haitian migrants have legally landed in Springfield in recent years under the U.S.'s Temporary Protected Status program, as longstanding unrest in their home country has given way to violent gangs ruling the streets.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has said the federal government needs to do more to help cities like Springfield serve the influx of migrants. On ABC’s “This Week," DeWine called the Haitians good, hardworking people who are in the U.S. legally, and said the false rumors are a piece of internet garbage.
“There’s no evidence of this at all,” he said during the program.
Despite the governor and local officials debunking the rumors, Vance reiterated the conspiracy theory on Sunday's “Face the Nation” on CBS while blasting Harris on her U.S.-Mexico border policy.
At Central Christian Church, Ruby encouraged his congregation to help hand out thousands of cards around Springfield that had been printed in Creole and English with a message of support for Haitians. It reads" “I’m glad you are here. Christ loves you and so do I."
As the service ended, Ruby praised parishioners for a beautiful moment amid what he called a storm of chaos. Looking at the Haitian members in the first pew and at the rest of his congregation, he asked them to come together in prayer: “Pray and think what it is to be a Haitian parent sending their child this week to school."
One of those parents is Mia Perez, 35 an immigration lawyer whose 9-year-old daughter had to evacuate her school twice because of bomb threats to a nearby DMV this week.
“Kids in school are being asked by other kids: ’How does the dog taste? How does the cat taste?” Perez said, describing her daughter’s distress.
"She’s asking, 'Are we the kind of Haitians who eat this kind of stuff? Is it true? What’s happening?'”
“This is a conversation that I was not ready to have with my daughter," Perez said. "I felt disrespected of our culture.”
On Sunday, Perez attended a service at Saint Raphael’s Catholic church, while a Springfield police officer stood guard outside. Attendance by Haitians was lower than usual, and Perez — after talking with others who did attend — said many from their community stayed away out of fears for their safety,
“This is emotional," she said. "They made a statement of not being here. Catholic Haitian people have such strong faith — not even hurricanes can keep them away, but look at this here today.”
Another service was held at The First Haitian Church, located next to the Haitian Community Center.
“They feel the threat. They feel not welcome,” Bernardette Dor, 51, one of the pastors, said after the service. “Even in the school system sometimes, they feel different, not because of their skin color but because they’re Haitian. But the reality is that we’re beautiful and we’re blessed.”
Though she worries about repercussions of the false statements, she said gathering to worship with her community and feeling support from others in Springfield gives her hope.
“We are united. It is time for good to stand for good,” she said. “This time the city of Springfield, Haitian people, asked the Lord to stay together to fight for good ... America is a great loving country, and American people care for people – it doesn’t matter if they are Haitian. We’re against lies.”
After the service, some parishioners gathered at Rose Goute Creole restaurant for a traditional Haitian meal of rice and beans, fried plantains and pork. One of them, Jacob Payen, said the restaurant has been transformed in recent days.
“We’ve been outnumbered — we have more non-Haitian guests here at the restaurant who are curious to know the culture and Haitian cuisine,” he said. “We feel that they’re sending a strong message: if they’re here eating with us because they trust us.”
Among those attending the earlier service at Central Christian was Rose-Thamar Joseph, 40, who works at the Haitian Community Center.
“I was praying for peace and protection — for the Haitian community and all of Springfield," she said. “I just want Springfield to go back to what it was a couple of months ago."
__
AP visual journalist Jessie Wardarski contributed.
__
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Carl Ruby, pastor at Central Christian Church, hugs Viles Dorsainvil during service, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Springfield, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
Members of the Haitian community, from left, Lindsay Aime, James Fleurijean, Rose-Thamar Joseph, Harold Herard, and Viles Dorsainvil, stand for worship with Carl Ruby, pastor at Central Christian Church, in Springfield, Ohio, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
Carl Ruby, pastor at Central Christian Church, hugs Lindsay Aime during service, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Springfield, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
Central Christian Church congregants stand to applaud members of the Haitian community during service, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Springfield, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
Members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, from left, Lindsay Aime, James Fleurijean, Viles Dorsainvil, and Rose-Thamar Joseph, stand for worship at Central Christian Church, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
